Improvement in lamp-wicks



G.. U. RICHMOND. Lamp-Wik.

www y l gw Z/ I l 1,1. f/ i M N. PETRs, PHOTO-LITHUGRAPHER, WASHINGTON.D

STATES PATENToFmo-n CHARLES C'. RICHMOND, or BostroN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMP-W'ICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,373, dated May 7,1878; application tiled July 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLEs C. RICH- MOND, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inLamp-Wicks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification, in Which- Figure l is an elevation of myimproved lamp-wick. Fig. 2 is a section on the line x a: of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a horizontal section through the wick-tube of a lamp-burner with.my improved wick inserted therein.

The ordinary flat lamp wick, especially when used with lheavy oils, isconsidered objectionable for the reason that it will not allow of theupward iiow of a suficient quantity-of oil to protect the wick andprevent it from becoming charred at the top.

My invention has for its object to overcome this difficulty 5 andconsists in a wick com- Y posed of a woven tubular outer wick, incombination with one or more woven auxiliary wicks extending up throughit, by which construction a space is afforded between the inner andouter wicks which facilitates the upward iiow of the oil, and enablesthe wick at all times to supply the flame with a sufficient quantity ofoil.

To enable others skilled in the art to unto describe the manner in whichI have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents a lampwick adapted for use in aburner having a iiat wick-tube. This wick is composed of an outertubular wick, a, within which is placed an auxiliary wick, b, the spacebetween the inner and outer wicks facilitating and augmenting the upwardiiow of the oil, and insuring a sufficient quantity thereof, even if ofa heavy nature, being at all times raised to supply the iiame andprevent the top of the wick from becoming charred. f

The inner wick b may be of the same width as the interior of the outerwick a, but I prefer to make it of less width, as shown in the drawings,for the reason that it renders the whole wick thinner and softer at theedges than at the center, which is a great advantage, as the thickcentral portion fits the wick-tube tightly, and affords a good hold forthe teeth of the regulating-wheels of the burner; while the thin softedges, fitting loosely within the wick-tube, as seen in Fig. 3, allowthe oil to flow more freely upward than is the case with a wick which isof the same Width throughout its entire crosssection, and iits snuglyWithin the wicktube, as heretofore.

The wicks a b are secured together by a row of stitching extendinglongitudinally from one end to the other; but this stitching may bedispensed with, if desired, in which case the inner wick would be keptin place by its friction against the interior of the outer one.

If it should be desired to increase the thickness of the wick at thecenter, more than one auxiliary wick, b, may be employed; and, ifdesired, my improved wick may be used as a tubular Wick for Argandlamps, in which case the inner wick would also be tubular, or two ormore iiat auxiliary wicks be arranged around the interior of the outerWick, a space being thus secured in either case to facilitate the upwardilow of the oil.

I am aware that a wick composed of a loosely-woven outer wick and aninner hard non-conducting core has been employed, as also a wickcomposed of an outer case or covering` formed of knit or woven fabriciilled with loose longitudinal fibers. t I therefore lay no claim toeither of the above constructed wicks, the objection to the former beingthat the non-conducting core is incapable of feeding the supply of oilup Within the outer Wick, and, in making the latter wick, a diiiicultyis experienced in arranging the loose iibers at uniform distances, sothey may possess the required even density throughout, and airspacesconsequently exist, the result bein g that the air passes up unequallyand breaks the continuity of the flame, rendering it ragged and uneven.Furthermore, the loose fibers do not render the Wick hard enough for thefeedwheel to properly carry up the wick; but a wick constructed inaccordance with my invention I believe possesses the two essentialrequisites of being capable of being fed up eindextending up through it,substantially as properly and of supplying oil through its inand for thepurpose set forth.

ner Woven core. Witness my hand this 10th day of July, A.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to D. 1877.

secure by Letters Patent, is- CHARLES C. RICHMOND.

A lamp-Wick composed of an outer Woven In presence 0f tubular wick, a,in combination with one or P. E. TESCHEMAGHER,

more auxiliary Woven Wicks, b, placed Within N. W. STEARNS.

